Real figures, with a period
Every claim of results carries a figure and a source; every figure carries a year. When a project ends, we say so.
About
A bridge between the United States and three decades of work in Central America
Fundación Puntos de Encuentro Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Our mission is to connect philanthropy, academia and the Central American diaspora in the United States with the work Puntos de Encuentro has carried out in the region since 1991 — feminist communication, capacity strengthening, democracy and human rights — advancing social justice by questioning, from a feminist perspective, the power relations that sustain inequality and violence. We do so with tax deductibility and accountability.
Our story
Three chapters, one conviction
In 1991, in postwar Nicaragua, Puntos de Encuentro set out to change the conversations that shape society, convinced that equality must be won "at home, in the bedroom and on the street." Over three decades it became a regional pioneer of communication for social change: the television series Sexto Sentido and Contracorriente, the feminist magazine La Boletina, DKY FM radio, the Women's University and youth camps that formed a generation of leaders.
Since 2021, Puntos de Encuentro has carried that work forward from Costa Rica with a regional scope. The Foundation, incorporated in the United States in 2024 and recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3), opens the third chapter: bringing this legacy into new alliances with philanthropy, academia and international cooperation.
What guides us
Working principles
Protection first
We do not publish data, faces or testimonies that put participants, sources or authors at risk. The safety of those who communicate in difficult contexts comes before visibility.
The personal is political
All forms of oppression are interrelated. We question power relations — of gender, age, origin and sexual orientation — and work with women, young people, men who challenge machismo, LGBTIQ+ people and migrants from a rights-based approach grounded in social justice and diversity with equity.
What works, what doesn't, and why
We are an organization in constant learning: we assess before acting, evaluate afterwards and share what we learn, including what didn't work.
Who leads
Executive leadership
Fernando Carcache Bello, executive director. Sociologist and researcher specializing in the digital economy and artificial intelligence applied to human development and decision-making, with more than 25 years directing economic development and innovation programs across Latin America. He holds a doctorate in Management, an MBA and a master's degree in Economics, Risk and Credit, and completed the Senior Management program at INCAE Business School. Based in Florida, he is responsible for donor relations, the Foundation's legal and tax compliance, and coordination with the Puntos de Encuentro team in Central America.
The Foundation is governed by a board of directors under Florida law and its bylaws; its founding documents, IRS determination letter and financial reports are available to donors and partners on request.
Relationship between entities
One name, one history, independent entities
Fundación Puntos de Encuentro Inc. is an independent U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It carries forward the vision of Fundación Puntos de Encuentro, founded in Nicaragua in 1991, and works in close alliance with Puntos de Encuentro, based in Costa Rica since 2021. We share a name, a history and a common framework, but each organization is a separate legal entity, governed independently.
The programs described on this site are implemented in Central America by Puntos de Encuentro. Donations to the Foundation are tax-deductible in the United States and are managed under U.S. law.
Transparency
Organization details
Fundación Puntos de Encuentro Inc.
501(c)(3) nonprofit recognized by the IRS. EIN 99-3353736. Exemption effective June 3, 2024.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
600 N Andrews Ave Unit 719, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311, United States.
Fernando Carcache Bello
Director. Sociologist and researcher with more than 25 years leading development and innovation programs across Latin America.
IRS determination letter and policies
Available to funders and donors on request. We are completing our Candid profile.
Add your thread
Let's talk
If you represent a foundation, university or cooperation agency, or are part of the Central American diaspora, we'd like to meet you.
We reply in English and Spanish.